There are two widely held assumptions about the Detroit Lions this coming season.

One is they won't make the playoffs. The other is they will finish last in the NFC North.

The over-and-under, according Las Vegas' oddsmakers for Lions' victories this season is 7.5, or slightly below .500.

The off season, which ended with the Lions' final mandatory mini camp workout Thursday in Allen Park, was far less eventful than the previous off season.

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Collectively and effectively, the Lions have regrouped since 2012, which was a disaster both on and off the field.

Whether it is ultimately a successful venture can only be determined by games. It was just the first step in the process.

The next is training camp, which begins at the end of July, and then what really matters - the season.

There is a possibility the Lions can be a better than the mediocrity widely forecast as their fate.

What follows are some of the keys which became apparent during the off season:

- Injuries are always the joker in the deck for NFL teams. The Lions are no different. The health of two players, both injury-plagued last season, hold the biggest keys, though.

On offense, it is wide receiver Ryan Broyles. On defense, it is safety Louis Delmas.

When the Lions drafted Broyles in 2012, it was a puzzling pick. It was, however, before the Lions had to deal with Titus Young's behavioral issues. Coming off major knee surgery, Broyles played well until he hurt his other knee last season. He performed surprisingly well at mini camp. The Lions need a persistent threat in the slot given the attention Calvin Johnson receives. Broyles is that threat.

Poor safety play has hindered the Lions since the early 2000s. Glover Quin was signed as a free agent away from Houston and will help immediately and immensely. Delmas is a solid player, but hurt too often. And when he is not on the field, the Lions' options to replace him aren't very good.

- The offensive line must come together. How good is Riley Reiff? How good are Jason Fox and Corey Hillard? Is rookie Larry Warford good enough to start right now? It is impossible to get any legitimate gauge on answering those questions until the Lions don pads in training camp, and until they see game action. The only thing apparent during the off season workouts is the Lions are more athletic on the offensive line than they have been during the recent past.

- The Lions need to get unexpected contributions from players who haven't received that much attention.

Joique Bell is one of those players. There is a perception he is a gritty kid who just works hard. He is more than that. He is a talented runner, in my opinion a better player than the more hyped Mikel Leshoure. Bell is one of those runners with a knack for picking his way through traffic and making tacklers miss. He is a solid inside runner and surprisingly effective when getting the ball in space in the passing game. It wouldn't surprise me if he emerges ahead of Leshoure to compliment Reggie Bush.

- Other than Jason Hanson, there wasn't much good about the Lions' special teams last season, and he has retired. It seems like they can do better than Michael Spurlock in the return game. David Akers had a bad season and his kicking was limited during the off season. He is 38 years old. How much tread is left on that tire? In one mini camp workout, with the wind behind his back, I saw Sam Martin kick the ball 85 years in the air. It was incredible punt. He seemed to do a good job punting the ball directionally, too. He is, however, a rookie, and the NFL is a million miles from Appalachian State.

As much as offense and defense, special teams are about week-to-week adjustments. That is on new special teams coach John Bonamego. Honestly, I have no idea whether he is up to the task.

- The area I think will be a pleasant surprise is cornerback. Bill Bentley is a better player than perceived. The more you see and know about Darius Slay, the more there is to like. Chris Houston has developed into a legitimate cover cornerback.